Specialist Housing Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (Specialist Housing IGVA)

This is a new and exciting role in Refuge, and the post holder will be embedded within borough housing teams to facilitate the dual working that will ensure that survivors’ safety and housing needs are met. The post holder will be based within housing teams for three days a week, to help facilitate.

• Close working relationships with Housing colleagues
• Provision of specialist knowledge relating to DA for Housing Officers and Homelessness Teams to draw on
• Specialist support for survivors at the moment of crisis
• Provision of advocacy; supporting survivors to access safe accommodation
• Ongoing support from the IGVA from wider DA service, including access to group clinical supervision, casework management meetings, reflective practice sessions, one-to-one supervision from service manager

This recognises that many survivors will approach Housing at moments of crisis, when they are either considering fleeing, or have already fled.

The housing IGVA will carry a caseload of survivors and their children that require additional support. They will work closely with victims of domestic abuse from the point of crisis, to provide high quality independent advocacy and support to survivors of domestic abuse at the highest risk and their children.

They will empower survivors by providing them with emotional, practical and personal welfare support. They will ensure that survivors are provided with a safe, supportive and welcoming environment, enabling them to access their rights, make decisions and increase their life options.

The job involves informing survivors of the full range of civil, criminal and practical options that might increase their safety.

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.